Vague Generalizations or Factual Hypocrisy?

A recent entry of mine comparing a vote for Bush the queer equivalent of a vote for Hitler has apparently pushed a button or two. At least one person has questioned whether I wanted to continue a friendship with them based on what they called my "generalization" of their vote.

I want to clarify this: You can NOT simultaneously claim to be a friend of someone who is queer, with all the respect and trust that implies, and vote for someone who was directly responsible for inserting a plank into a political platform specifically targeting queers by inserting clearly religious beliefs into our constitution, namely that anti-gay marriage amendment. At best you're deluded by thinking that, because your vote was in support of "other aspects" of a persons political beliefs, that somehow you're NOT supporting the inherent bigotry and prejudice of that person's stance.

Insisting that "I wouldn't have voted for Hitler" disregards that, at the time, most German's weren't rabid jew hating devils... just a beaten and repressed people desperate to regain some pride and stability, essentially just wanting the damn trains to run on time. That didn't prevent the holocaust, good intentions not withstanding.

Clever spin artists are trying to cast this as an "of course!" situation... "This isn't bigotry, this is protecting the sanctity of marriage". Fine. Except that a word like "sanctity" is a religious concept, and what on earth is that doing anywhere near our constitution? Hell, I would go so far that the problem isn't the recognition of GAY marriage, it's ANY state recognition of marriage at all. There's only one place marriage can be defined: By the individuals engaged in it. And if it weren't for the so called "benefits" accorded to married persons, this issue would suddenly just go away.

So, did you vote for Bush, but disagree that there should be a federal amendment to the constitution to ban gay marriage? Prove it. Stand up and say "I'm republican, and I DON'T want this. I don't want to be the first generation to take rights AWAY from people". Otherwise, no, your friendship is a hollow offer. Harsh?

So's telling me who I have the right to marry, or how many. That's my business. If you don't like it... don't DO it.